Vunnadhi Okate Zindagi Review: An Ode to Friendship!

Telugu Film Industry (TFI) has been nothing short of spectacular this year. The entire year has seen a wide variety of films thrilling the audience with different content, irrespective of the budget. VunnadhiOkate Zindagi adds itself to the list with the focus being firmly on friendship.

Every once in a while, a film based on friendships is made that tugs viewers’ hearts. Be it Happy Days or Arya 2 or several other films in this genre, the friendships between the lead characters act as a base for the story. Now, Vunnadhi Okate Zindagi is a slightly different film in the sense that the story IS about friendship.

Every other character, including the female leads, are present to either enhance or test the bond between Abhi (Ram) and Vasu (Sree Vishnu), thereby demonstrating the ethos of friendship. Director Kishore Tirumala who doubled up as a writer for the film pens a satisfying drama without a single shade of negativity. While it can seem implausible to meet such characters in real life, it is definitely not impossible.

Thus, the movie does not feature any antagonists and given the nature of the film, it is a wise decision. The first half flows like a breeze and the conflict points are interesting to watch. However, Kishore is a writer first and his need to weave the narrative slows down the film before the climax recovers with a proper closure for the story.

Ram looks smashing in the entirety of the film and his new look will definitely draw attention. However, it does not take away his performance credits as he begins to show maturity as an actor. Sree Vishnu gets ample screen time to deliver and he does a commendable job as the introvert in the friendship. The remaining friends are fleshed out just enough to justify their presence apart from providing entertainment, which is bound to evoke loud laughs from the audience.

Out of the female leads, Anupama Parameswaran of Premam fame gets a good role as a regular girl with dreams and she looks the part. Lavanya Tripathi’s character does not have the same depth but like the rest of the actors, she has a meaningful role.

As one would expect, Devi Sri Prasad delivers a peppy soundtrack for the film with the theme music certain to stay with the audience even after the film. The production values are top notch with a classy touch to every frame. Editing by A.Sreekar Prasad is good for most parts, except for the second-half which could have used some trimming.

Nevertheless, Vunnadhi Okate Zindagi is a must-watch for every individual who either has those childhood friends to cherish or wants to understand the essence of friendship, a relation that is taken for granted more than any other.